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Saturday, 7 June 2014

South West Women's Manifesto for Political Change

Report Back of Fair Play South West
Meeting 6.6.14 Manifesto for Political Change

What an incredible meeting!

Rarely do I attend meetings where the time flies by, the
topics and speakers are inspiring and informative, communicating directly to me
about the most pertinent political issues that affect and matter to me; this
event bucked the trend!

Chaired by Jackie Longworth a feminist activist and retired
engineer, there were four main speakers: Sarah Payne, Professor in Health Policy
and Gender from Bristol University, Finn Mackay, feminist researcher at Bristol
University’s Centre for Gender and Violence Research, Harriet Bradley,
Professor of Women’s Employment at the University of the West of England and
Joanne Kaye, Regional Secretary of UNISON South West. These four powerful women oozed
passionate determination and shared their in depth knowledge and experience
inspiring us to contribute to and then ratify the South West Women’s Manifesto
for political change.

The audience of feminist public servants, trade union
members, voluntary sector workers and political activists were witnessing with
great sadness and anger the backward slide of many equality initiatives across
all areas of our lives.However there
was a great deal of energy, power and positivity for change in the room! For me
the highlight of the meeting was remembering the awesomeness and strength of
women and why making alliances with other women is crucial. Seeking and
nurturing other women has to be the starting point. Change comes about by finding women who are co-
operative, empathic, supportive and who are ready to share that solidarity to
encourage each other to move forward. The very act of coming together makes
great things happen and the meeting and Manifesto were testimony to that. Anita
Copley from the National Assembly for Wales was also hugely inspiring reporting
the appetite for equality in the Welsh Assembly. Their experience of organising
a mentoring network amongst women across all sectors of public life to motivate
and nurture other women resonated very strongly for me.

There was a heartfelt commitment to share the Manifesto in
our work places, social settings and community groups and to target our future
political representatives in Parliament and local government. Laws such as the
Gender Equality Duty exist to aid equal treatment for women but our political
representatives must make Gender Equality a priority and argue vociferously to
keep and improve the mechanisms that exist. We need political change to bring
about cultural change so that Gender Equality is no longer seen as a luxury but
the right of all women and men.

About Me

Owner of WiserHealth and very interested in maintaining a good work life balance for me, my clients and my family. A growing interest in politics and in particular gender politics because well being is political.